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Pursers handle all the financial matters on a cruise ship as well as many administrative tasks. Pursers also share information about the ship to both passengers and crew members. The Purser's Desk is typically centrally located in the ship for easy accessibility to passengers and crew. If the purser can't answer a question, he'll be able to refer the person to someone who can.

Crew Purser

When stationed at the Purser's Desk, crew pursers make change for passengers and cash personal checks. They also make change, answer questions and check paperwork for crew members. In addition, new crew members see the purser to exchange their passports for Crew Cards, which are used on board and when going ashore. Pursers collect money from all vending machines and Internet lounges and restock machines with new cards and supplies. It's the purser's job to issue payroll -- usually twice monthly -- onboard in cash or by sending money to a back account, according to the crew member's wishes. Crew pursers report to the ship's chief purser.

Chief Purser

The chief purser is one of the senior officers aboard ship. He oversees the work of crew pursers, including updating all passenger and ship accounts at the end of each cruise. The chief purser allots tips indicated by customers to the proper department and crew members. Payments for concessionaires, such as stores and kiosks aboard ship, are similarly tallied based on the revenues each generated during the cruise and the terms of their contracts. The chief purser makes spreadsheets for each department head and copies for the ship's manager and the main office. When money is delivered to the ship by armored car and brought to the purser's office, the chief purser counts it and makes a report to the main office of monies received. The chief purser also works with port officials to obtain the ship's clearance at every port.

Skills and Requirements

Pursers must have an accounting or bookkeeping background and previous experience in accounting and administration. They should have good attention to detail and the ability to work well under pressure. A purser's job on ship is fast-paced, with new passengers and new accounts every week, and pursers need to be both knowledgeable and efficient to do their jobs properly.

Getting Hired

Cruise ship employment for pursers and other crew members starts with a hiring partner or recruitment agent. Each cruise line has these agents or partners in different countries that are hired to screen applicants for jobs. The cruise line's website will have a section on whom to contact for a job. Contact the agent closest to your home address. These agents or partners take resumes and applications and submit the most qualified candidates to the cruise line, which makes the final hiring decision. Cruises ensure that their agents do not charge applicants a fee for this service. Those that do are probably running a scam and should be avoided.

About the Author

Barbara Bean-Mellinger is an award-winning writer in the Washington, DC area. She writes nationally for newspapers, magazines and websites on topics including careers, education, women, marketing, advertising and more. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Pittsburgh.

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Bean-Mellinger, Barbara. "What Are the Duties of a Purser on a Ship?" Work - Chron.com, http://work.chron.com/duties-purser-ship-21293.html. Accessed 18 December 2018.

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